A nondiscriminating glutamyl-tRNA synthetase in the plasmodium apicoplast: the first enzyme in an indirect aminoacylation pathway.
J Biol Chem
; 288(45): 32539-32552, 2013 Nov 08.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-24072705
ABSTRACT
The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum and related organisms possess a relict plastid known as the apicoplast. Apicoplast protein synthesis is a validated drug target in malaria because antibiotics that inhibit translation in prokaryotes also inhibit apicoplast protein synthesis and are sometimes used for malaria prophylaxis or treatment. We identified components of an indirect aminoacylation pathway for Gln-tRNA(Gln) biosynthesis in Plasmodium that we hypothesized would be essential for apicoplast protein synthesis. Here, we report our characterization of the first enzyme in this pathway, the apicoplast glutamyl-tRNA synthetase (GluRS). We expressed the recombinant P. falciparum enzyme in Escherichia coli, showed that it is nondiscriminating because it glutamylates both apicoplast tRNA(Glu) and tRNA(Gln), determined its kinetic parameters, and demonstrated its inhibition by a known bacterial GluRS inhibitor. We also localized the Plasmodium berghei ortholog to the apicoplast in blood stage parasites but could not delete the PbGluRS gene. These data show that Gln-tRNA(Gln) biosynthesis in the Plasmodium apicoplast proceeds via an essential indirect aminoacylation pathway that is reminiscent of bacteria and plastids.
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Coleções:
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Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Plasmodium berghei
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Plasmodium falciparum
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Biossíntese de Proteínas
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Proteínas de Protozoários
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Aminoacilação de RNA de Transferência
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Apicoplastos
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Glutamato-tRNA Ligase
Limite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J Biol Chem
Ano de publicação:
2013
Tipo de documento:
Article